Wrist-watch case



.Fuy 991949. GUILD ZZSI WRIST WATCH CASE Filed July SO, 1938 GitPatented July 9, 1940 UNITED STATES amsn PATENT GFFiQiS.

WRIST-WATCH CASE Application July 30, 1938, Serial No. 222,122

11 Claims.

This invention relates more especially to :an improved construction forwrist-watch cases having intertting case-forming parts which provide anintermediate watch-movement-receiving compartment andterminal-compartments oppositely arranged in respect thereto to receivethe ends of a wrist-strap.

One object of the present invention is to provide an improvedconstruction for a wrist-watch case wherein one of two case-formingparts which form the wrist-watch case has embodied thereinoppositely-presented terminal-hoods and is provided withstrap-end-anchoring members fixedly associated or integrally formedtherewith to render it unnecessary to employ removablyconnected parts ormembers for anchoring the ends of a wrist-strap,

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved constructionfor wrist-watch cases comprising interfitting case-forming parts tofacilitate the manufacture of wrist-watch cases on a large scale at arelatively-low cost.

With the above and other objects in view, as will appear to thoseskilled in the art from the present disclosure, this invention includesall features in the said disclosure which are novel over the prior artand which are not claimed in any separate application.

For the purposes of illustration, the drawing shows several forms inwhich wrist-watch cases' may be constructed to embody the presentinvention.

In the accompanying drawing, in which certain modes ofv carrying out thepresent invention are shown for illustrative purposes:

Fig. l is a face View of a wrist-watch case constructed in accordancewith the present invention and with a suitable watch-movement encasedtherein;

Fig. 2 is a rear plan view of the same;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged longitudinal section of the wrist-watch case fromwhich the watch-movement has been omitted and taken on the line 3 3 ofFig. 1; y

Fig. 4 is a perspective view, taken from below and on a reduced scale,of the outer c asing-member shown in` Figs. l, 2 and 3;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the strap-end shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3;Fig. 6 is a medial longitudinal vertical section of one end of anotherembodiment of the present invention;

Fig. 7 is a perspective view from below of the outer casing-member ofthestructure of Fig. 6;

Fig. 8 is a medial longitudinal vertical sectionV of one end of anotherembodiment of the present invention;

Fig. 9 is a perspective view taken from below of the outer casing-memberof the structure of Fig 3; 5

Fig. 10 is a rear plan View of the wrist-watchcase structure shown inFigs. 8 and 9;

Fig. 11 is a medial longitudinal Vertical section of one end of anotherembodiment of the present invention;

Fig. 12 is a perspective View of the outer casing-member of thecase-structure of Fig. 11; and

Fig. 13 is a rear plan view of the wrist-watch case partly shown in Fig.11.

In my co-pending application, Serial No. 222,121 filed on even dateherewith, I have shown, described and claimed a wrist-watch casecomprising inner and outer case-forming parts, one of which is providedwith'strap-end-anchoring members fixedly vassociated or integrallyformed with the terminal-portions thereof in such a way that when thesaid Vcase-forming parts are assembled, the said strap-end-anchoringmembers are caused to engage and anchor the ends oi a wrist-strappreviously positioned in the strapend-receiving portions of the othercase-forming part.

According to the present invention, the ends of a wrist-strap arepositioned in the terminalportions of one of the case-forming parts,and, at the same time, anchored therein by strap-endanchoring membersxedly associated or integrally formed with the terminal-portions of thesame case-forming part. In same instances, the simultaneous positioningand anchoring of the strap-ends in the terminal-portions of one and thesame case-forming part, is accomplished before the case-forming partsare assembled; in other instances, either before or after thecaseforming parts have been assembled; and in all 40 instances, theactual positioning and anchoring of the strap-ends is accomplishedindependently of the assembling of the said case-forming parts.

In the form of the invention shown in Figs.

1 to 5 inclusive, the wrist-watch case comprises 45 an outer casing-partdesignated generally by the reference character 20, yand an innercasing-part designated generally by the reference character 2|.

The inner casing-part 2l comprises a bottom- 50 wall 22;laterally-spaced side-walls 23-Z3; and end-walls 24-24. The said innercasing-part 2l is partly closed .at the top by an intermediate topwallportion 25 of the said outer casing-part 2Q to form an intermediatewatch-receiving com- 55 partment 26 in which is installed awatch-movement 26a indicated in Fig. 1.

The outer casing-part 20 includes, in addition to the top-wall portionthereof, side-walls 21-21; and laterally-spaced end-wall panels 28-28which are constructed and arranged to slidably engage with the end-walls24e-24 of the inner casing-part 2l when the said outer and innercasing-parts are assembled. The outer casing-part 29 is provided at itsopposite ends respectively with terminal-hoods 29-29, each ofY whichcomprises a curved top-wall portion 30 respectively extending outwardlyand downwardly from the opposite ends of the top-wall portion 25 of theouter casing-part 29; an end-wall 3l; and a pair of laterally-spacedside-wall panels 32-32. The lower edges of the end-walls 3l-3! andside-wall panels 32-32 are preferably, and

as shown, disposed in a common plane with the bottom-wall 22 of theinner casing-part 2|,

'Ihe end-walls 24-24 of the inner casing-part Y 2l form partitionsbetween terminal-compartments 33-33 in the terminal-hoods 29-29, and theintermediate watch-receiving compartment 26. y

A portion of each of the end-walls 3l-3I of the terminal-hoods 29-29 isdisplaced or bent inwardly to provide a strap-receiving opening 34 and adownwardly-and-inwardly-sloping anchoring-tongue 35. Eachanchoring-tongue 35 enters into a transverse anchoring-slot 31 formed inthe adjacent one of two strap-ends 36- 36 which enter through therespective receiving-openings 34-34 above referred to.

Figs. 6 and 7 show a modified form of the construction shown in Figs. 1to 5 inclusive. According to this embodiment of the invention, an outercasing-part designated generally by the reference character 38 isconstructed to receive an kinner casing-part designated generally by thereference character 39. The said inner casingpart 39 is preferablysubstantially the same in form and construction as the innercasing-'part 2| previously described.V As shown in a fragmentary way inFig. 6, the inner casing-part 39 is provided with a bottom-wall 40 andanendwall 4 I, the top-opening of the said inner casingpart 39 beingpartly closed by a rim-like top-wall portion 42 of the outer casing-part38 to form an intermediate watch-receiving compartment 43.

As shown particularly well in Fig. 7, the outer casing-part 38 compriseslaterally-spaced sidewalls i4- 44; two pairs of end-wall panels 45-45;and oppositely-arrangedv terminal-hoods designated generally by thereference characters 46-46. 1

Each of the terminal-hoods 46-46 projects outwardly from thelaterally-spaced inner edges of a pair of the end-wall panels -45 andcornprises a curved top-wall portion 41 which merges above with thetop-wall portion 42 of the outer casing-part 38; an end-wall 48; andside-wall panels 49-49. Each terminal-hood thus provides aterminal-compartment 50 which is separated from the watch-receivingcompartment 43 by one ofthe end-walls 4l of the inner casingpart 39.

In the end-wall 48 of each terminal-hood 46 is a clearance-slot or-opening 5| through Ywhich passes a strap-end 52 havinga transverseanchoring-slot 53. Extending upwardly and inwardly from below eachclearance-slot 5I and preferably integrally formed with the loweredgeportion of the adjacent end-wall 48, is an anchoring-tongue54 whichis designed to be passed through the slot 53 in the complementalstrapend 52.

In the embodied form of the invention shown in Figs. 8, 9 and l0, anouter casing-part designated generally by the reference character 56 isprovided with a top-wall portion 56; side-walls 51--5'l; transverseinner end-walls 58-58 respectively provided with notches 58d-58d intheir lower edges to accommodate the strap-end anchoring-members to behereinafter referred to; and terminal-hoods designated generally by thereference characters 59-59. f

VEach of the terminal-hoods 59-59, just above referred to, comprises acurved top-wall 60; an outer end-wall 6| provided with a transversestrap-receiving slot 62; and laterally-spaced sidewall panels 63-63.

A strap-end anchoring-tongue 64 which is arranged in aterminal-compartment 65 within each of the terminal-hoods 59-59, dependsfrom and is preferably integrally constructed with the curved top-wallportion 68 of a given terminalhood 59. The said anchoring-tongue 64 isintermediately arranged with respect to the inner and outer end-walls 58and 6|, and terminates slightly below the lower edge of thestrap-receiving slot 62 in tfie adjacent endwall 6I.

An inner casing part designated generally by the reference character 66,rits within the outer casing-part 55 and is provided with a bottomwall6l; side-walls 68-68; and end-wall 69 at each end thereof; andextensions 'i6-10 which respectively project outwardly from the endwalls69-69 of the said inner casing-part 66. Each extension 'i9 is verticallyoisetabove the bottom-wall 61 of the said inner casing-part and extendsthrough a notch 58a in the bottom-edge of the adjacent inner end-wall58. Each eXtension 'I6 preferably conforms to the inner hori- Zontaldimensions of the lower end of its complemental terminal-compartment 65to close the bottom of the same, and is suitably located vertically inrespect to theend-wall 69 of the inner casing-part66, so. as topreferably come into engagement with the bottom-end of theanchoring-tongue 64 for limiting the insertion of the inner casing-part66 into the outer casingpart 55.

According to the embodiment of the invention, just above described,Vbefore thev outer and inner casing-parts 55 and 66 are assembled, one oftwo strap-ends 'll-'H is inserted through each strapreceiving slot 62and warped downwardly past the lower end of the adjacentanchoring-tongue 64 until an anchoring-slot 12 in the said strapend canbe moved upwardly over the anchoringtongue 64. After this has been done,the inner casing-part 66 is telescoped within the .outer casing-part 55until each extension 'I6 comes into engagement with the lower end of theadjacent anchoring-tongue 64 and thereby securely locks each strap-end'Il in anchored position on its complemental anchoring-tongue 64.

With the casing-parts assembled as just above described, thevstructuraldesign of the wristwatch case, as seen from the rear in Fig. 10,comprises a at rectangular surface representing the bottom-surface ofthe inner casing-part 66 within a skeletonizedcruciform framerepresenting the bottom marginal edge of the outer casingpart 55 andwith the bottom-surfaces of the terminal-plates 'l0 forming depressionsbelow the common plane .of the bottom-wall 67 of the inner casing-part66 and lower marginal edge of the outer casing-part 55.

According to theembodied form of the invention shown in Figs. l1, 12and, 13, an outer casingpart designated generally by the referencecharacter 74, is provided at each end with a terminalhood designatedvgenerally by the reference character it. Each terminal-hood 'I6 isprovided with an arcuate wall-portion 'i1 extending out-v wardly anddownwardly from the top-wall 'l5 of the outer casing-part 1li.

According to the embodiment of the invention shown in Figs. 1l to 13inclusive, a major portion 'i8 of the outer end-wall of theterminal-hood 1B is displaced inwardly to provide an anchoringtongue i9.For this purpose, the inwardly-displaced portion i3 of the outerend-wall is cut away along opposite edges at the bottom to provide theanchoring-tongue i9 which is of reduced width and is offset inwardlyfrom the opening 80 left by the inward displacement oi the end-wallportion '18. Each anchoring-tongue 'i9 is thereby adapted to extend intoanchoring engagement with a transverse anchoring-slot Si, one of' whichlatter is formedin each of two opposite strap-ends Ski-82.

An inner casing-part designated generally by the reference character 83ts mainly within the outer casing-part 'lll and is provided with abottom-wall 84; an end-wall 85 (one at each end) which abuts at itsupper'end against a shoulder 86 formed in the outer casing-part 'lllintermediately of the top-wall 'l5 thereof and the arcuate wall 'll ofthe adjacent terminal-hood TG; and a bottom-plate extension 8l (one ateach end) which is providedat its outer end with an upwardly-extendingterminal-flange 88 which is disposed within the lower portion of theterminalopening B and isI of sufficient width to substantially close thebottom-end of said terminal-opening. The said terminal-flange 88, in theassembled position of the said inner and outer casing-parts, ispreferably in lateral abutment with the lower end of theanchoring-tongue I9 and thus serves to retain the strap-end S2 in securelocking engagement with the said anchoring-tongue 19. The strap-end 82,thus anchored, is arranged within a terminal-compartment 89 which is'separated by the end-wall 85 of the inner casing-part 83 from anintermediate watchreceiving compartment @El formed between the outer andinner casing-parts in their assembled position.

Preferably, and as shown, the outer edges of the side-wall panels Sil-Slof each terminal-hood 'I5 is reversely bent to provide strengtheningribsS32-92, as is particularly well shown in Figs. 12 and 13.

The invention may be carried out in other specific ways than thoseherein set forth without departing from the spirit and essentialcharacteristics of the invention, and the present embodiments are,therefore, to be considered in all respects as illustrative and notrestrictive, and all changes coming within the meaning and equivalencyrange of the appended claims are intended to be embraced therein.

I claim:

l. A wrist-watch case comprising: an outer case-forming part open at thebottom and having oppositely-arranged terminal-hoods provided withstrap-receiving openings in the end-walls thereof and havingintegrally-formed strap-end anchoring-tongues inclined downwardly towardthe open bottom of the outer case forming part and an inner case-formingpart movable through the said bottom opening in and forming with thesaid outer case-forming part an intermediate watch-receivingcompartment.

2. A wrist-watch case having a portion thereof constructed and arrangedto form a terminalhood, said terminal-hood being provided in theend-wall thereof with an opening to receive the ends of a wrist-strapand an integrally-formed strap-end anchoring-tongue depending from theinner wall of the said terminal-hood above said. strap-receiving openingand extending downwardly to a plane below the lower edge of saidopening.

3. A wrist-watch case comprising: internist-ing inner and outercase-forming parts providing an intermediate watch-receivingcompartment, the said outer case-forming part includingoppositely-arranged terminal-hoods provided with openings to receive theends of a wrist-strap; and a strap-end anchoring-tongue integrallyformed with and depending from the top wall of each of the saidterminal-hoods past the said strap-receiving openings in a plane spacedinwardly therefrom.

4. A wrist-watch case comprising: interfitting inner and outercase-forming parts providing an intermediate watch-receivingcompartment, one of said case-forming parts having oppositely-presentedend-walls provided with inwardly-displaced portions to form strap-endanchoringmembers.

5. A wrist-watch case comprising: interiitting case-forming partsproviding an intermediate watch-receiving compartment andoppositely-arranged terminal compartments provided with strap-openingsin the end-walls thereof; a strap-end anchoring-tongue integrally'CM-ined with the end-wall of each of the said terminal-- compartmentsand inclined inwardly and downwardly withiny the saidterminal-compartments from above the strap-openings formed therein.

6. A wrist-watch case comprising: interiitting case-forming partsproviding an intermediate watch-receiving compartment andoppositely-arranged terminal-compartments provided with strap-openingsin the end-walls thereof; and a strap-end anchoring-tongue formed by adisplaced portion of the end-wall of each of the saidterminal-compartments, the said end-walls oi the saidterminal-compartments being provided with strap-openings formed by thevacant spaces left by the displaced portions of the said end-walls.

7. A wrist-watch case comprising: an outer case-forming part havingoppositely-presented end-walls with inwardly-displaced portions to formstrap-receiving openings extending through the bottom edges of saidend-walls, said displaced portions of the end-walls being reduced inwidth at their lower ends to provide strap-end anchoring-tongues onsetinwardly from the said strapreceiving openings; and an innercase-forming part intertting with the said outer case-forming part toprovide an intermediate watch-receiving compartment and havingextensions at the bottom extending past the lower end of the saidstrap-end anchoring-tongues.

8. A wrist-watch case comprising: an outer case-forming part providedwith a terminal-hood, said terminal-hood comprising an outer end-wallprovided with a strap-receiving slot; an inner transverse wall arrangedsubstantially parallel to the outer end-wall; an intermediate transversewall constructed and arranged to provide a strap-- end anchoring-member;side-walls; and a topwall integrally uniting all of the aforesaid wallsof the terminal-hood; and an inner case-forming part intertting with thesaid outer case-formingv part to form therewith an intermediateWatchreceiving compartment, the said inner case-forming part beingprovided with transverse walls slidably interengaging with thetransverse inner walls of the said terminal-hood and with an extensionextending outwardly from one of the transverse walls of the innercase-forming part past the inner and intermediate transverse walls ofthe terminal-hood to close the terminal-compartment within the saidterminal-hood at the bottom.

9. A wrist-watch case having a watch-receiving compartment and aterminal-compartment extending outwardly therefrom in a direction toreceive the end of a Wrist-strap to be anchored therein, the saidwrist-Watch case comprising: an outer case-forming part havingperimetral walls substantially coextensive with certain of theperimetral walls of the said watch-receiving and terminal-compartmentsand a bottom opening substantially coinciding with certain of the bottommarginal-edges of the said compartments; means for anchoring the ends ofa Wrist-strap within the said terminal compartments; and an innercaseforming part constructed to be moved into and' out of the said outercase-forming part through the said bottom opening and having a bottomWall constructed and arranged to form the bottom wall of the saidwatch-receiving compartment.

10. A wrist-Watch case having an intermediate watch-receivingcompartment and` oppositelyarranged terminal-compartments to receive thestrap-ends of a wrist-Watch, the said Wrist-watch case comprising: anouter case-forming part having a bottom openingsubstantially-coextensive in size and contour with said compartmentstaken altogether; and having the terminal-compartment-formingwall-portions thereof constructed and arranged to provideoppositely-presented strap-end-receiving openings; strap-end-anchoringtongues integrally formed with the said terminal-compartment-formingwall-portions and having free ends presented downwardly toward the saidbottom opening; a wrist-strap hav-` t slidably interfitted with theouter case-forming part to form the end-walls of the said watchreceivingcompartment.

11. A wrist-watch case having an intermediate watch-receivingcompartment and oppositely-arranged terminal-compartments to receive thestrap-ends of a wrist-watch, the said wrist-watch case comprising: anouter case-forming part having lateral wall-portions and substantiallyconforming in size and contour to the top and outer side-walls of al1 ofthe said compartments above the bottom perimetral edges of thewrist-watch case; and an inner case-forming part having a bottom-wallportion constituting the bottom wall of the said intermediatewatch-receiving compartment and lateral Wall-portions constructed andarranged to slidably-intert with the lateral wall-portions of the saidouter case-forming part to form the end-walls of the said intermediatewatch-receiving compartment.

LURELLE GUILD.

